polasky



S. H. POLASKY. SHIELD FOR WELDERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED rzs. 24. m9.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET S. H. POLASKY. SHIELD FOR WELDERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

Patented Aug. 26,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL H. POLASKY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO F. A. HARDY & COMPANY,

v OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHIELD FOR WELDERS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. POLASKY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shields for Welders and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to means for protecting the eyes and faces of workmen, especially persons employed in welding or cutting with electric arc apparatus and sumlar pursuits, in which the protection of the eyes is desirable.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, protection afforded the workmen engaged in such employments has been in the shape of goggles for the eyes, the lenses whereof are of extremely dark shade and nearly opaque, or their faces are covered with masks provided with eye-socket openings into which are fitted suitable lenses. Many workmen object to these protectors because, owing to the density of the lenses, they are unable to observe anything excepting objects immediately in the zone of the extremely bright light of the welding tool, and accidents frequently occur, due to the inability of the workman to see to one side or the other of his work and bench. In addition, the masks are objectionable because they may not be worn with any degree of comfort and cannot be satisfactorily ventilated, with the result that the skin perspires too freely.

It is to overcome these inherent objections that I have designed the structure herein disclosed, which has for its object to provide a shield for the face of the Workman and at the same time protect his eyes from the intensely bright or incandescent light generated by the welding tool or similar apparatus, which the workman may be using. At the same time it is an object of my invention to avoid the use of a goggle by providing a protector that will not obstruct the vision of the workman, but will permit him to observe whatever is transpiring about him, so that he may move from place to place without having to remove the shield or protector. Other objects will be obvious to persons skilled in this art after an understanding of my invention is had, among which is the provision of a shield or protector for the eyes and face of a Workman, that is simple in construction and therefore easy to operate; which is efiicient in performing the functions for which it is designed; and which may be economically manufactured so that it may be retailed at a moderate price.

All of these objects I refer to accomplish in a manner substantial y as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being now made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of this specification, in which,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shield showing the relative position of the parts when in use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical side elevation of the same, enlarged.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the shield detached from its supporting members.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section thereof on line 44 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings I have employed the same reference characters to designate similar elements throughout the divers views, and by referring to Fig. 1 it will be observed the structure preferably comprises suitable hanger element supported upon and secured to the shoulders and body of the wearer, and a frame and shield adjustably mounted with respect thereto.

The hanger element consists .of parallel right and left hand straps 5 and 6, the upper portions 7 whereof are hook-shaped to extend over, fit about and rest upon the shoulders of the wearer, as shown, and

means in the form of a chain :1: is provided to fasten the hanger element securely to the workman. The chain :11 is secured at one end to the strap 6, whence it is passed around his back to the strap 5, where one of the links is adapted to be engaged by the hook 8 thereon and in order to prevent the spreading of the straps 5 and 6, the chain is then passed taut across the workmans chest to a hook 9 on strap 6, where an adjacent link in the chain is engaged. In order to space the lower ends of the straps 5 and 6, I prefer to connect their lower portions by a horizontally disposed transverse rod 10, that also acts as the pivotal connection between the hanger element and the shield supporting members.

Pivotally mounted at their lower ends upon the rod 10, are upwardly extending parallel right and left arms 11 and 12, that are each provided with a longitudinally disthe side-pieces posed slot 13. Wing-nuts 14 are screwed onto the threaded opposite ends of the connecting rod 10 for the purpose of ad ustably locking the straps 5 and 6 and the arms 11 and 12 together, and in order to insure their stability and prevent accidental movement, I prefer to make the engaging portlons of these elements disk-shaped and rovlde the engaging'faces thereof with radlal serrations or corrugations 15, that interfit with each other.

The shield is carried in a suitable frame, consisting of right and left side-pieces 16 and 17, the lowerends whereof are connected by a tie-rod'18, the ends of which extend through said side-pieces and through the slots 13 in the arms 11 and 12. Another tie-rod 19, of slightly larger age, connects 16 and 17 a s ightdistance above rod 18, and likewise asses through said side-pieces and throng the slots 13, where its ends are threaded and provided with wing-nuts 20. The ends of these rods 18 and 19 engaging the slots, permit of a longitudinal movement of the side-pieces parallel to the arms 11 and 12, and when moved to their desired position, the. wingnuts 20 are tightened and the structure is secured together. I

The elements thus far described are preferably of metal of a relatively thin gage for lightness, and a substantially U-shaped holder 21, of channel metal, is secured to the facing portions of the side-pieces 16 and 17, and upon the upper portion of the rod 19 by spot-welding, soldering, or in any other suitable manner. The shield 22 pre erably is fitted into the shaped holder and is secured therein by rivets or otherwise. This shield consists of a piece of fiber-board or the like, preferably light in weight, and which has good heatinsulating and fire-resisting qualities and is cut rectangular in shape and provided at about its center with a fenestrum or opening 23. Secured along the vertical sides and bottom of this fenestrum, upon the side facing the wearer, are Z-shaped strips 24:, so arranged, as seen in Fig. 4, that one of their flanges is spaced away from the body of the shield 22 a distance suflicient to accommodate therein-a relatively thick plate of transparent glass 25, or other suitablemedium, for permitting a view to be obtained and protecting the eyes. An angle metal strip 26 is pivotally and hingedly secured at one endto the adjacent portion of one of the upright Z-shaped strips and its opposite end- 1s provided with a latch 27 to lock it to-the adjacent portion of the opposite vertical Z-strip. This'angle strip 26 extends along the upper edge of the plate 25 and prevents the same being accidentally removed, while suitableleaf-springs 28 are secured to the inner surface of the Z-strips and bear channel of this U- c zontal reissue against the ad acent surfaces of the plate 25 to prevent relative movement of the latter. Correspondingly disposed Z-shaped strips 29 are secured upon the opposite face of the shield 22, that coact with a hinged and latchable angle strip 30 to retain one or more plates 31 upon' the opposite side of the fenestrum 23. These latter plates 31 may be of the dark amber or brown type, of glass such as is usually employed-for protecting the eyes of welders against the glare produced by the operation,

remaining portion of said chain is passed across his chest and engaged with the hook 9, so that the supporting or hanger element will be. securely attached to the operator. The workman may then release the wing- ;nuts 14 and adjust the shield carrying arms.

11 and 12 to the desired angle. The win nuts 20 are then released and the shield 22 and its carrying frame 16-17 is adjusted longitudinally on the arms 11 and 12, until the fenestrum has been positioned properly with relation to the-workmans eyes and the work on which he is engaged, and for convenience in maln'ng this adjustment, I have provided a suitable rod 33 that extends horily across the upper portion of the shield 22 and has its ends bent laterally and secured to the adjacent portions of said shield, substantially as shown, to form a handle for moving the shield longitudinally. It will be observed that, through the angular adjustment of the arms 11 and 12, and the longitudinal adjustment of the shield 22, the fenestrum may be brought into a suitable position to comfortably view the work therethrough, no matter whether the work is on the eye-line of the operator or above or below the same.

While I have herein illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I am not restricted to the precise structure disclosed as that is merely typical for the purpose of de 1. A. protector comprising an opaqueshield provided with a fenestrum, angle- @d leaf springs- 32 retain them against relative movement,

e arms, around his back and engaged with the hook 8, while the said fenestrum and providin arms radially shaped members surrounding a portion of grooves between the same and said shie d, a viewing element mounted in said grooves, a suitable frame in which said shield is mounted, parallel arms extending along the sides of said frame, means permittting the longitudinal adjustment of said frame on said armshookshaped shoulder engaging straps, and means connecting said straps to said arms whereby the latter may be adjusted to alter the angularity between the same and said straps. 2. A viewing device comprising a fenestrated opaque plate, a suita le viewing element closin said fenestrum, parallel arms between which said plate is mounted and is longitudinally adjustable, supporting members pivoted to the ends of said arms, and means for adjusting said members and said with respect to each other. '3. Aviewing device comprising a fenes trated opaque plate, a suitable viewing element closing said fenestrum, parallel arms upon and between which said plate is longitudinally adjustable, supporting members the ends whereof are pivotally connected to the ends of said arms, and means for locking said members and arms in divers adjusted positions.

4. A viewing shield comprising a fenestrated opaque plate, a suitable viewing element closing said fenestrum, longitudinally slotted parallel arms, lateral pro ections on said plate extended through the slots in said arms, means for clamping said plate to said arms in desired positions, shoulder engaging straps, means for securing said straps in position upon the wearer, and a pivoted clamping connection between said straps and said arms.

5. A viewing shield comprising a fenestrated plate, a suitable viewing element closing said fenestrum, a frame having facing channels in which opposite edges of said plate are disposed, longitudinally slotted parallel arms, lateral projections on said frame extended through the slots in said arms, means for clamping said frame to said arms, in adjusted positions, shoulder engaging straps, a flexible device connected to said straps for securing the device in position upon the wearer, and a pivoted clamping connection between said straps and said arms.

6. A viewing shield comprising a fenestrated opaque plate, a viewing element covering the fenestrum in said plate, parallel bars between which the sides of said opaque plates are adjustably secured, parallel shoulder straps, a flexible element adapted to surround the body of the wearer and having detachable connection with the forward portions of said shoulder straps, and a pivoted clamping connection between the lower ends of said parallel bars and said parallel shoulder straps.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 13th day of February, 1919.

SAMUEL H. POLASKY.

Witnesses MAX A. DI'ITBERNERS, BENJ. T. RooDHoUsE. 

